Russian President Vladimir Putin informed US President Donald Trump during a phone call on Friday that an immediate restart of peace negotiations with Ukraine is improbable. The Kremlin cited a series of drone attacks targeting Moscow and other regions during the nation’s parliamentary elections last month as the primary obstacle to ongoing trilateral diplomatic efforts.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov characterized the drone strikes, which reportedly targeted polling stations and election organizers, as a deliberate action by the Kyiv regime to disrupt the negotiation process. According to Ushakov, the Russian leadership is currently evaluating a timeline for when or if these trilateral discussions involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States might resume in the future.
The announcement follows a statement from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the week, who had indicated that Ukraine was prepared to participate in trilateral talks with Russia and the US during the current month. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently described the ongoing conflict as being at a dangerous stalemate, affirming that the United States remains committed to pursuing an end to the war.
In a separate development during their conversation, President Trump announced an agreement for Russia to supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to American and global markets. This deal has faced significant criticism from international figures, including President Zelenskyy, who described the agreement as a “gift to Putin” that effectively funds further military aggression. In response to the energy agreement, a United Kingdom government spokesperson stated that the UK will continue to apply pressure on Russia through its existing sanctions regime.
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